Rotary boring-drill.



Patented June 26, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Howard H. Hughes. awue'mfoz jww.

H. R HUGHES.

ROTARY 50mm; DRILL. APPUCATION HLED DEC. 2&1916- 1,231',159 Patented June 26,1917.

2 SVHEETSSHEEI 2- Howard R. Hughes gwuewfo'c wwW HOWARD R. HUGHES, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, A881 1.

T0 HUGHES TOOL COMPANY, 0F

HOUSTON, TEXAS, A CORPORATION OF TEXAS.

ROTARY BORING-DRILL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1291?.

Application filed December. 26, 1916. Serial No. 138,820.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Howsno R. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, Texas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Rotary Boring-Drills, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rotary boring drills of the type in which the head of the. drill is equipped with substantially disk shaped rotatable cutters that are arranged in-upright position on the lower portion of the head.

One object of my present invention is to provide a drill of a type referred to that comprises only a few ruggedparts which can be assembled or disassembled easily without the aid of a special tool. The drill in this invention is an improvement on and very similar to the drill'in my co-pending application, Serial No. 128917, filed Novemher 1, 1916. 1

Another object is to provide a rotary boring drill that is equipped with removable cutters which are mounted on the head in such manner as to preclude liability .of the cutters or any parts of the drill working loose and becoming detached when the drill is in service.

Another object is to provide a drill in which the cutting rollers are mounted in a pocket in the end of the drill head, the side walls of the pocket being extended a sufficient distance to house or shroud a substantial portion of the rollers.

Still another object is to provide a rotary boring drill with a novel construction of water passages, in which a plurality of such passages are provided, some of which are arranged so that jets of water issulng therefrom will strike directly upon the cutting rollers, the others being so arranged that the jets of water therefrom will pass between the cutters. These water passages are also ar ranged so that one. or more of them, as desired, to meet existing conditions, can be plugged up, so as to limit the number of effective passageways.

Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out and will appear in the description of the device,

Figure l of the drawing is a side elevational view of a rotary boring drill constructed in accordance with my invention, parts thereof being shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but taken at right angles thereto.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1, but without the drill collar.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a slightly modified form of the device.

As herein illustrated my invention embodies a drill equipped with two vertically disposed rotatable cutters arranged in a pocket in one end of the drill head, but I wish it to be understood that my broad idea is not limited to a drill of the particular construction herein shown, as certain features thereof are applicable to rotary boring drills in which the cooperating parts are arranged in various other ways. As shown in the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, and in which like characters of reference designate like parts in the various views, the head of the drill is composed of two sections A and B provided with cooperating portions 1, which form hearings or supports for the opposite ends of a horizontally disposed shaft C on which two disk shaped cutters D are rotatably mounted, said cutters being spaced from each other as clearl shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The shaft C is pre erably formed in a single piece and is offset, that is, it is provided with two portions 00 which lie in the same horizontal plane but in different vertical planes, so that the cutters D will be offset or staggered slightly with relation to each other. This shaft is provided intermediate its ends with a collar 2 for service as a spacing device and end thrust bearing for the cutters.

Any suitable type of cutter may be used, the precise form of cutter forming no part of this invention. As illustrated in Fig. 1. the cutter used is a substantially disk shaped member the body of whichhas substantially the same thickness throughout and the periphery of which has helical shaped chisel teeth. Aseshown in Fig. 1, however, the

teeth of these disk cutters may be dispensed with the surface thereof being plain. The hub of each cutter is provided with a bushing 3 as shown in Fig. 1.

' The main joint or dividing line m between the two sections-A and B of the head lies in a vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cutter shaft 1), and means are provided on the meeting faces A and B prelvent said sections from moving vertical y atively to each other in a direction longitudinally of the cutter shaft. In the form of invention herein shown, such means consist of a rib 7 and groove 8, in the section A of the head that project into and receive respectively a groove 7? and rib 8 of the sectlon B of the head, when these sections are properly positioned with relation to each other. I do not, however, limit myself to this precise means for preventing relative movement of the two sections of the head, for obviously other means could be employed which would; be within the scope of my invention. The upper end of each section of the drill head is reduced as shown at 10, the. reduced portions being threaded so that when the sections are in assembled position, the reduced portionsthereof will eooperate to form a slngle reduced extension, and the threads upon such reduced portions will register so as to form a continuous thread therearound. The two sections of the head are locked securely together by a drill collar. 9 that connects the drill to the drill stem, not shown, said collar being screwed upon the cooperating screw thread ed portions 10. As a further means for holding-the sections A and B against relative movement, and to insure th proper registering of the threads on the reduced portions 10, a dowel pin 13 is provided on the section A adapted to fit in a hole 14: on the section B. Any analogous means for accomplishing this same purpose may, however, be substituted without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The shaft bearing portions 1 on the two sections of the head extend laterally beyond the main dividing line or joint :12 between said sections, thus forming rigid one-piece hearings for the cutter shaft C. And when the sections are in assembled position the shaft bearing portion 1 on the section A laps over the section B, and the shaft bearing portion on the section B laps over the section A. That is while the main dividing line of the joint between the two sections of the head lies in a vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cutter shaft, each of said sections is provided with a portion that projects laterally som distance beyond the main dividing line and laps over the other section of the head, thus producinga head which is divided longirelatively to each other, and also relmamas tudinally by a main joint lying in a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cutter shaft and 'two other joints lying in planes disposed at substantially right angles to the cutter shaft.

Upon the upper end of each section A and B is a still further reduced extension 5, adapted to receive a lubricant container, and extendin downwardly from-this extension are lubricant ducts 5 conveying lubrieating fluid to any surfaces re uiring such.

In the lower end of each section A and B a pocket-like recess .6 is cut out as shown best in Fig. 2. Each recess is adapted to properly register with th corresponding recess in the other section of the drill head when these sections are in assembled position, the two recesses when the drill head is assembled thus forming a single pocket adapted to receive therein the cutting disks mounted upon the cutting shaft C. .The side walls l'Z of this pocket 6 are extended a suflicient distance to overlie or shroud a sub stantial portion of the cutting disks when the drill head is assembled, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The inner wall of each recess adjacent to the periphery of the cutting disk housed thereln, is so arranged that the s ace or clearance between this wall and t e periphery of the cutter increases pro gressively in the direction of rotation of the disk. This relation is clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing and because of this relation it is evident that the packing of disintegrated material or cuttin s' between 100 the periphery of the cutting dis and the adjacent wall of the housing pocket isprevented, inasmuch as any material which passes the end which portion ofthe clear, ance space between the periphery of thecut- 105 ter and the adjacent wall has a smaller opening than is present at any other'point in the clearance space, will readily pass through the remainder of the clearance space. I

The outer surface of the drill head is also arranged as shown in Fig. 5, and has the surface thereof so arranged that the space between the periphery of the head and the wall of the hole being bored, increases roessively in the direction of rotation o the drill head. It is evident from what has been said above with reference to the Wall of the pocket 6 that such structure will tend to prevent packing surface of the drill head and the wall of the hole being bored. I do not limit myself to of material between the cated in the reduced portion 10, such upper ends opening through the upper surface of such reduced extension outside of the still further reduced extension 5. The lower ends of these water courses open into the recesses or pockets 6. These water courses are so arranged that two of them, one in each section of the head, dischar at such a point that water issuing from t em will strike directly upon the periphery of the cutting disks, and are further arranged so that the stream of water issuing therefrom will strike the periphery of the cutter at an angle, the stream being so directed as to flow in a direction against the rotation of the disk cutter. From this arrangement as is clearly shown in Fig. 3, it is evident that the stream of water issuing from these water courses will strike the periphery of the cutters at a point adjacent the narrowest part of the clearance between the cutters and the bottom of the pocket, which point will therefore be near the outer'end of the side walls or shrouds 17. It is evident, therefore, that the stream of water issuing from these water courses will tend to prevent the entrance of cuttings or disintegrated material into this clearance space, and will so further tend to prevent clogging or packing of material around the cutters inside of the pockets housing the same, and will thus tend to insure the ready rotation of the cutting disks while the device is in operation. The other two water passages are arranged in the head so that the outlet thereof is located near the center of the pocket 6, this location being such that the streams of water issuing therefrom will pass between the cutting disks and not impinge directly upon them. Each of these water courses is provided at its up-' per end with any conventional means for holding a plug therein, such as threads adapted to cooperate with any ordinary form of threaded plug, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5 of the drawings, so that any one or more of these passages may be closed during the use of the device to suit the desire of the person operating it, and to better accommodate it to the existing conditions. It is evident, therefore, that all of the water holes may be used, thus causing streams of water to play directly upon the cutting surfaces of the disks, and prevent the influx of disintegrated material to the housing pocket, and at the same time streams of water may be directed through the other two water passages, tending to flow between the cutters and play more directly upon the bottom of the hole to thus more fully wash away the cuttings and disintegrated material. Or only the two water courses directing streams of water against the disks may be used, or any other of the number of water courses may be used asdesired.

The manner of assembling the device described herein is the same as used in the device set forth in my co-pending application referred to above.

Fig. 6 illustrates a slight modification of the device described above. As illustrated therein the side wall or shroud of the cutter housing pocket has a portion thereof cut away so as to form a slot'opening from the pocket to the surface of the drill head. By using such an opening in the shroud the more ready escape of the flushing water is permitted, and such water is allowed to more readily strike against the side and bottom of the hole, thus tending to cause eddies or swirls which will more thoroughly mix the disintegrated material with the flushing water and tend to more completely clean the hole heing drilled.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A rotary boring drill, comprising a longitudinal split-head composed of two sections, a shaft hearing in each section, a cutter supporting shaft carried by said bearings, the main joint between said sections lying in a vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, a recess in one end of each section, the recesses registering when the bit is assembled to form a pocket, cutters mounted on the shaft in this pocket, the side walls of the pocket extending down over the cutters to house a substantial portion thereof.

2. A rotary boring drill, comprising a head composed of two sections, a cutter supporting shaft carried by said sections, the main joint between the sections lying in a vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cutter shaft, a recess in the end of each section, said recesses being adapted to register and form a pocket when the drill is in iassembled position, the side walls of the pocket being so extended as to form a housing covering a substantial portion of the cutters mounted on the cutter shaft.

3 A rotary boring drill comprising asplit-head composed of two sections, a cutter shaft mounted in hearings in the two sections, the main line of division between sa1d sections lying in a plane parallel to the longitudmal axis of the cutter shaft, recesses formed in one end of the sections, cutting rollers mounted in the recesses, the side walls of the recesses housing a substantial portion of the cutting rollers, water passages extending longitudinally through the drill head and opening into the recesses.

41. A rotary boring drill comprising a longltudinal split-head composed of two sections, a cutter shaft supported by bearings 1n the sections, the sections of the head being so divided that in disassembling they must be rotated on the shaft as an axis for a short distance and moved away from each other in a direction longitudinally of the shaft, recesses in one end of the sections, said recesses registering in assembled position of the drill head to form a pocket, cutting rollers mounted in the pocket, the side walls of this pocket forming a housing covering a substantial portion of the cutters, a plurality of water courses in the head opening,

some near the center, and others near the side of the pocket.

5. A rotary boring drill comprising a head, a pocket in one end of the head, cutting rollers mounted in this pocket, the side walls of the pocket forming a housing covering a substantial portion of the cutting rollers, four water courses in the head, two arranged so that the jets of water issuing therefrom will impinge on the cutting rollers and two so arranged that the jets of water issuing therefrom will pass between the cutting rollers.

6. A rotary boring drill comprising a split-head composed of two sections, a recess in the end of each section so arranged that the two recesses register to form a single pocket when the drill is assembled, cutting rollers mounted in the pocket, the side walls of the pocket forming a housing for the cutters. four water holes in the head opening into the pocket, the upper end of each hole being adapted to receive a plug, two of the holes terminating opposite the cutters, the other two terminating at the middle of the pocket and between the cutters.

T. A rotary boring drill comprising ahead composed of two sections, a cutter shaft mounted in the sections, the main line of division between the sections being a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cutter shaft, means on the sections for preventing separation thereof, recesses in the ends of the sections adapted to register when the drill is assembled to form a pocket, cutting rollers mounted in the pocket on the cutter shaft, the side walls of the pocket being so extended as to house a substantial portion of the cutters.

8. A rotary boring drill comprising a head, a pocket in one end of the head adapted to house cutting disks, the side walls of the pocket extending over a substantial portion of the disks to form a covering, the inner walls of the pocket adjacent the periphery of each cutting disk being so arranged that the clearance between each disk and said wall increases progressively in the direction of rotation of the disks.

9. A rotary boring drill comprising a head, a pocket in one end of the head adapted to house cutting disks, the side walls of the pocket being extended to house a substantial portion of the disks, the surface of the head being so arranged that-the clearance between the head and the wall of the hole being bored increases progressively in the direction of rotation of the drill head, from the cutting edge of one cutter to a point diametrically opposite thereto.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature this the 22nd day of December,

HOWARD R. HUGHES. 

